Copy Right and Fair-Use Laws:

What is a Copy Right Law? The Copyright Law states that, the owner of any tangible creative work has the sole right to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, transmit, or transform that work. Therefore, unless you had the permission of the copyright owner or owners, your use of the materials constituted copyright infringement This includes: Music, Paintings, Photographs, TV Programs, Live performances, Books, Software,Movies and much more. It is NOT illegal to listen to music, watch TV programs, read books, look at pictures or paintings, but it is ILLEGAL to gain a profit by selling someone else’s work/idea.

Breaking the Law: Reproducing the work. Preparing other works based upon the work. Distributing copies of the work by sale. Performing the work publicly.

What are Fair use Laws: When in doubt ask permission! The fair use doctrine provides a limited basis by which people can use a copyrighted work without getting permission from the creator.  Examples of fair use:  Does the new work transform the original work or offer something beyond the original? Copyrighted works that are altered significantly are more likely to be considered fair use.  Is the use for nonprofit or educational purposes? Copyrighted works used for nonprofit or educational purposes are more likely to be considered fair use. If the use of the material will result in a financial loss for the creator, you may be breaking the law. Example Making copies of a whole book, instead of purchasing it.